Adjustable vehicle-top support and stretcher



12H. FERGUSON I ADJUSTABLE VEHICLE TOP SUPORT AND STRETCHER Filed March 11,- 1922 Patented June 17, 1924.

UNITED sr rE-is P ATEN a THOMAS fn. `riiiaeuson, for ANNA, :rnLIfNoIs, #ASSIGNQR or scary-Nina emanan- 'mnnn-ms fro i-Ensamsoiv, :or fauna, iterator-s.

feaiisraenia viiiificikrfror surebar '-IANDSZRTHER To till whom tt Be itknownthat-I, fltfger'oMIs Faeiiso'n, y A y ing? at a citizen ofthe United 'Srtatesfrresid K .i Anna, inthe county ofUnio-na'nd State of Illinois, have invente'dicei'tainnew and useful Improvements in Adjustable Vehicle- Top Supports and Sty tclirers; VvI do hereby declare tlie'llff owing l tio-@bef a full, clear, and exact description of thei'n'vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap-pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an adjustable vehicle top support and stretcher or tight The invention particularly aims to pro vide a means which is accessible for ready manipulation to stretch and secure an automobile top or to release it for folding.

Another object is to provide a construction which is attachable to the wind shield of an automobile and includes a rod and fastening means therefor, with the latter adjustable to be alined with the former and preferably with the rod fo-ldable against the top so as to facilitate compact folding of the latter.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from a co-nsideration of the description following taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating lone ractical embodiment.

In sai drawings:

Fig. 1 isa front elevation showing thev invention in place-in connection with a part of an automobile shown fragmentarily;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device alone, and .Y

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. f

Like reference characters designate like or similar parts in the dierent views.

An automobile top is shown in the drawings as at A and a wind shield at B having a. mounting and reinforcing frame at C. The parts referred to are to be taken as conventional.

A fastening rod 10 is adapted to be secured in any suitable manner to the top A and depend therefrom adjacent one end of the wind shield B. This rod is preferably pivoted as at 11 to a bracket 12 so as the rod -A10` .is not in fastened ,positionfit f maybe 'swung to -the'dotted line position Ashown inlig'ure '1 where-it Iisupheld by .2f resilient clipj'13a. compact disposi' 'tion ofthe .rod 1.0 facilitates @folding of Ithe cover 'A or in` other''words,-prevents inF terference of the rod with folding of l the cover. v

Rod 10 is slidable through and separable from a securing member as designated at 14. The rod 10 is adapted to be secured in rigid relation to the securing member 14 as by means of a set screw 15 threaded in the .y

mize the chances of relative movement of the rod 10 from a fastened position.

The securing member 14 may be mounted in, any suitable manner. Preferably, such securing member is mounted by an attaching bracket 17, arcuate transversely at a limb 18 thereof, so as to snugly fit against a portion of the frame C. Set screws as at 19 may be em loyed to secure the limb 18 to the frame Bracket 17 hasalaterally eX- tending ear at 20 against which the securing member 14 is disposed and 'to which it is secured, by means of a set screw 21 passing through the ear and into the securing member 14, being loose in the former and screw threaded in the latter. As a result of this' construction, axialmovement of the securing member 14 from a transverse axis is permissible soI that the openings 0f the securing member 14 through which the rod 10 passes may be properly disposed according to the angularity of the rod 10 which will vary as is understood according to vari ation in the height of the rod. In order to prevent accidental slipping of the securing member, the engaging faces o-f the securing member and the ear 20 are preferably roughened or serrated for Yinterengagement as at 22.

In use, it will be realized that the set screw 21 may be loosened so that the securing member 14 can be swung to the desired angle to receive the rod 10 and is turned to various positions as the rod is passed therethrough. The rod is then secured in the proper position rigid with the secnring member 14 by adjustment. oi' the set screw 15.' The set screw 21 may also be tightened in order to secure the parts. rigi idly together and against vibration. Where the top A is to be iolded, the set screw l5 is loosened and the set screw 21 is loosened so that the rod 10 may be readily removed from engagement with the eyelet M and then swung to the dotted line position oi Figure 'l where it is upheld by the clip 13 thus compactly folded against the top in order not vto interfere with folding of the latter.

As merely one practical embodiment of the invention has been illustra-ted and described, it is to be understood that chano'es in the details may be resorted to provided they fall Within the spirit and scope of the invention.

igmeee l claim as my invention A top fastener having a top-Securing rod, a securing member through which the rod is slidable, means to fasten said rod and member together, an attaching bracket havn ing a limb for connection to a Wind-shield frame, an ear integral with the limb and extending forwardly therefrom, said securing member being disposed against the outer side of the ear, end a fastening conn necting` the securing member to the ear and permitting adjustment of the securing meinbei on an axis transverse to the path oi' movement of the rod.

In testimony whereof l afx `my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS H. FERGUSON.

`Witnesses WILLIS W. HILEMAN, ALLEN Hfxnennvn. 

